1. How Science Works Precision Science at Don Valley
How small a measurement is. Millimetres are more precise than centimetres because they are smaller.
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2. How Science Works Accuracy Science at Don Valley
How close a measurement is to its true value.
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3. How Science Works Random errors Science at Don Valley
Errors caused by factors we can’t control, like tiny temperature changes in a room. They can also happen if you make a mistake – like pushing the stopwatch button too early.
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4. How Science Works Systematic errors Science at Don Valley
Errors caused by inaccurate equipment, equipment that doesn’t zero properly or by problems with a method.
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5. How Science Works Reliability Science at Don Valley
If someone else can repeat your measurements and get the same results then your results are reliable. Carrying out repeat measurements checks the reliability of your results.
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6. How Science Works Independent variable Science at Don Valley
The variable you change to see what happens.
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7. How Science Works Dependent variable Science at Don Valley
The variable that you measure.
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8. How Science Works A fair test Science at Don Valley
An investigation or experiment where only the independent variable has been allowed to affect the dependent variable. This means only changing one variable and keeping everything else the same.
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9. How Science Works Validity Science at Don Valley
Your results must be valid if you are going to be able to draw a conclusion from them. To get valid results you need to carry out a fair test.
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10. How Science Works Continuous variables Science at Don Valley
Variables that can have any numerical value. You should use a line graph to show this type of data.
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11. How Science Works Categoric variables Science at Don Valley
Variables that are described by labels. You should use a bar chart to show this type of data.
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